Applications are open for a popular grant program that makes it easier for McMaster University instructors to create, adapt and adopt free, high-quality open textbooks and course materials to improve teaching and learning.
The McMaster Open Educational Resources (OER) Grant Program is supported by the Office of the Provost, McMaster University Library, McMaster Students Union, and the MacPherson Institute. It provides successful applicants with funding to create new OER or to adopt or customize existing OER. This means cost savings for students. The program also offers an honorarium for instructors to peer review existing OER.
“The OER grants provide support for McMaster instructors as they integrate OER into their courses,” said Katie Harding, teaching and learning librarian, OER and STEM at McMaster University Library. “The different grant types ensure that there's flexibility for instructors to use OER in the ways that work for them.”
Part of the global Open Access movement, OER are teaching, learning and research materials that can be used, shared or modified based on their open-licence permissions.
The McMaster grant program was created to increase instructors’ awareness of these resources and encourage exploration of new teaching approaches. Starting in 2023, the program’s funding was doubled for three years, making $60,000 available annually.
“Tapping into the flexibility OER offer teaching and learning is a win-win scenario,” said Joanne Kehoe, lead educational developer, digital pedagogies at the MacPherson Institute. “OER offers a way for instructors to easily contextualize and localize their content, while at the same time removes financial barriers that students experience in accessing course materials. To date, we estimate this program has saved McMaster students more than $700,000."
The call for proposals for 2024-25 offers three levels of OER grants and an honorarium, including an adoption grant (up to $1,000 each); adaptation grant (up to $2,500 each); creation grant (up to $7,500 each), and a peer review honorarium ($250).
How to apply
Applications for the 2024-25 McMaster OER Grant Program opened on April 8, 2024. The deadline to apply is May 31, 2024 by 11:59 p.m.
Learn more about the OER Grant Program at an information session happening on Monday, May 13 from 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. during MacPherson’s May teaching and learning month.
To register, visit the May teaching and learning month Zoom events page.
For more information about the program or to apply, visit the OER Grant webpage or email oer@mcmaster.ca.
